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The Onion CEO Steve Hannah posted an apology on behalf of the staff members who sent a tweet targeting Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis, 9. But the mea culpa came hours after the offensive tweet and after The Onion posted a tweet this morning on an unrelated subject, suggesting that the satirical publication had chosen to ignore complaints.

Twitter exploded in rage after the tweet at 11:42 p.m. Sunday. "Everyone else seems afraid to say it, but that Quvenzhané Wallis is kind of a (four-letter word that begins with C), right?" it read.

Almost immediately, furious responses began to fly. Almost immediately, the tweet was taken down, but it didn't matter. By 1 a.m. ET today, dozens of tweets per second were being posted, virtually all of them expressing contempt, incredulity or outrage.

Tweeters demanded that The Onion apologize.

Tweeters demanded followers unfollow the magazine's Twitter feed, while others said that wasn't enough. The Twitterverse was being urged to make calls, send e-mails and boycott the magazine in protest.

"Not that they would care, but I have no plans of ever following @theonion for their HORRIFIC tweet about a nine year old Oscar nominee," tweeted Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin.

The Onion is notorious for its cutting satire, but it's usually at least a little funny. But, as responding tweets kept repeating, this remark wasn't funny.

There's no bigger sartorial stage than the Oscars. And this year, the stars didn't disappoint. From Anne Hathaway's blush to Jennifer Aniston's not-so-bashful attire, celebs brought their A-game. Best actress Jennifer Lawrence ('Silver Linings Playbook') arrives at the Dolby Theatre in her Dior Couture gown. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY)

A whiteout swept across the red carpet as a flurry of actresses, some looking almost altar-ready, chose whiter shades of pale.
Jennifer Lawrence serves as the face of the Miss Dior line. "It was a very quick fitting," she said of her dress, which she accessorized with Chopard jewels. "I tried it on and knew it was the one. We did take 6 inches off the train, though." Unfortunately, it was the front of the dress that seemed to trip her up on the stairs to the podium (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Presenter Zoe Saldana struck a glamorous pose in an Alexis Mabille Couture dress, Neil Lane jewelry, Roger Vivier shoes and a Salvatore Ferragamo clutch. Asked if the outfit was comfortable, she said: "It is! Compared to all the other dresses I've worn, yes. I feel great. I feel pretty." But it was really her rings she was enamored with: "I'm in awe." (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Best supporting actress Anne Hathaway ('Les Misérables) wore a Prada pink satin backless column gown, Tiffany diamond choker and Roger Vivier clutch. "I lost my voice yesterday," she said. She may have been a little nervous about singing, but she had someone close to her: Her grandmother's initials were painted into her manicure. "I didn't know what I was wearing until two hours ago," she said. "I know it sounds weird, but I'm 30, and I feel 30 in this dress." (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

'Les Miserables' star Amanda Seyfried sparkled in a silver halter Alexander McQueen dress, Roger Vivier shoes and Lorraine Schwartz jewels. "This is holding me together," she said, pointing to the structured top. "It's an honor to wear Alexander McQueen. It's super-cool when someone is building a shape around your own body shape. I have a really short torso." She shared her stylist, Elizabeth Stewart, with Jessica Chastain. "She was back and forth from Jessica's house to my house all day, but I feel like we're pretty low-maintenance." (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Supporting-actress nominee Sally Field ('Lincoln') blinged out with 7-carat diamond earrings and a round Colombian emerald ring from Martin Katz, which went amazingly well with a stunning scarlet Valentino dress. "I wore red because I like it. It's very Mary-like," she said, referring to her character, Mary Todd Lincoln. (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Best-actress nominee Helen Hunt ('The Sessions') brings H&M to the red carpet. Hunt pulled a Sharon Stone and poured herself into a navy strapless H&M gown.
"I'm not kidding," she said of the fact she was wearing the fast-fashion force. "It was the most beautiful dress I tried on, and they partner with (environmental organization) Global Green. It was a win, win, win."
Stone famously brought the Gap to the Academy Awards in 1996 and 1998, in the form of a charcoal turtleneck and white button-down shirt.
Asked whether her dress was comfortable, Hunt said, "I'm not in my sweat pants, but I do feel pretty good."
It might have been a fan-friendly dress, but the accessories were strictly star-powered: $700,000 worth of Martin Katz diamonds and a Swarovski clutch. (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Jennifer Hudson was stunning in ultra-sexy Roberto Cavalli, along with Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, a Jimmy Choo clutch and Sutra jewelry. "It's such a great pop of color," she told Ryan Seacrest of her dress. (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Robert Downey Jr. was decked out in a Giorgio Armani black jersey two-button peak lapel tuxedo with a black evening shirt and a black necktie. And he played it cool while presenting in Oliver Peoples XXV-RX shades. (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Octavia Spencer was radiant in a custom, blush tulle one-shoulder Tadashi Shoji, accented with an Edie Parker bag and Prada shoes. "They're comfortable so I won't forget," she told Seacrest about her footwear. Oscar watchers know that the ultra-loyal Spencer wore Shoji when she won her supporting-actress award last year for 'The Help.' (Photo: David Sprague for USA TODAY)

Hugh Jackman participated in the night's scruff trend, accompanied by a double-breasted Tom Ford tux. He was excited about his Oscar performance. "It's the last time we'll be singing together," he said of the 'Les Mis' cast. (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Melissa McCarthy was decked out in a platinum silk jersey long-sleeve gown with an asymmetrical neckline and beaded accents on the shoulder and sleeves by David Meister. The Oscars, she told Ryan Seacrest, are "controlled chaos." She hits the red carpet with husband Ben Falcone. (Photo: David Sprague for USA TODAY)

Richard Gere wore a Giorgio Armani two-button notch lapel tuxedo with a classic white evening shirt and a black neck tie.
Renée Zellweger, second from left, once again turned to her favorite, Carolina Herrera, for her slinky gown. "It's easy and we understand each other," Zellweger told ABC. (Photo: Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY)

Tommy Lee Jones, at the bar, quipped that Seth MacFarlane's first joke, about how hard it was to make Jones laugh, was "entrapment," as the camera was about a foot away from the veteran actor's face. He and wife Dawn Laurel-Jones said they were both enjoying MacFarlane nonetheless -- and that they particularly appreciated how the theme from 'Jaws' was being played to cut off long-winded acceptance speeches. (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Christopher Plummer punched up his dark tux with a poppy pocket square. The Oscar winner declared it "a great year for the movies. I have favorites, but I'm not going to tell you!"
Christopher Plummer and Elaine Taylor walk the red carpet. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro USA TODAY)

Eddie Redmayne looked dapper in a classic black bow-tied tux from Alexander McQueen. He changed into Burberry for his live performance. "I'm quite pumped actually," he said. "I'm really excited about singing live." He called performing at the Oscars "a nice bookend to the 'Les Mis' experience." He said he's so impressed by Seth MacFarlane. "He's brilliant. He's such a showman. He sings, he dances." (Photo: David Sprague for USA TODAY)

Channing Tatum suited up in a Gucci vested tux. He made it clear that, baby or no, work doesn't stop for him and wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum. "We're going to actually have the baby in London while I'm shooting. And there will be no downtime after that," he told Ryan Seacrest. Dewan-Tatum walked the red carpet in a backless, plunging-necklined black lace Rachel Roy dress, nude Christian Louboutin clutch, Brian Atwood shoes and Irene Neuwirth earrings. "I have a few more months," she told Ryan Seacrest. (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)

Wearing a sparkly scarlet dress from Lebanese designer Rani Zakhem, crystal-encrusted Oroton clutch and Jimmy Choos, Jacki Weaver was all about the numbers: 30 carats of Stephen Webster diamonds worth $2 million. "I wanted beads. I love a bit of a bead," she said. It has been two years since her first Oscar nomination and she said it has had a huge effect on her career. "There was never any possibility of me working in America before that." (Photo: Dan MacMedan, USA TODAY)